Burglar-alarm for automobiles.



i .Kansas'City'gin the coitnty of Jackson and Vozall fwkm) it mag/:concern:

].Sefit known that I', HinAM A. BEALL, a ltia'eny offrtheUnited Stat-es,- residing at State of -Missou'ri, have :invented certain new and useful Improvements injBurglar- 'fi-Alarms for'Automobiles; 'and I do declare the following to be 'a full, clear, I and exact I'description of the inventionfsuch as will en- 'able others skilled in the artjto which itap pertainsto make and use theA same, reference 'being `had to the accompanying drawings,

lia

and to the -'letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which Aform a part of this specification,L

l ,My invention relates -to burglar or theft alarms for"y 'automobiles or like vehicles, and haslforits principal objectto provide simple andeiective means for sounding 'an alarm *zo* shouldfanyone unauthorized attempt to gain n f use "of 'a" vehicleequipped with the 'devicel In accomplishing this object, I have pro# 1 `vvided improved details .of structure the pre- 'ierred forms' of which areillustrated in the 13:25" e igurelisfa perspective View illustratmg accompanying drawings, wherein:

'interiorI o f' an automobile body andthe mounting of {signaling-'or alarming .mechanism according to the vpresent invention,

I4`ig.'II is a lsectional view of thesteering post and =its,housing,;taken in a plane iperpendi'cul'ar thereto, showing the switch housing, a partv of the top of 'which is br'oken lawayfto show'the switch parts and the switch key connection with' the steering post.

Fig. lIIisadetail perspective view showing the pivotal mounting of the switch arms and the switch key lockedtherebetween.`

v Fig. IV is avertical section on the line III-" III, FigfIL Fig. V1 's a diagrammaticview of the-wiring of the contact points with a 'battery and alarming device.

AReferring more inl detail to the drawings: `lvdesignates a-portion of an automobile v which may be of any ordinary type, having asteering post 2, a dash or foot board 3 and steering wheel4.

lMounted fon the foot board '3 and inclosing the low'er end of the steering-post 2'and itstubular housing 6 is a casing, or box 7, of

substantial sheet metal construction having a door 8 `hinged on its upper face which may-be'opened to permit the setting or the disconnection of the alarm switch parts and "Hmnivra, niz'annor KANSAS-cur, liwilssounr.

niiaGLAn-Amnmroa AUTOli-Vi:01311115-'` Specification'of Letters'latent. '.Patented June 11,1918, A'lifeatvioa inea March 1s, 1917. I

l: Seriai No.. 155,255.

may be held closd by a suitable lock operable bv akey 10.

Located wlthin the housing is a block 1l l of non-conductive material and mounted thereon by means of 'screw 12l are arms 13-13 the latten being also of non-con? ductive material or .fiber and have ends pivotally mounted on the screw and freeI ends yiel'diiiglyfurged toward each other by thetarms Mali of awU-shaped spring l5 `whic isfmounted on the block-11l to inclosethe arnisslS-l Mountedoii; the free en'ds of the arms 13*13 ,are binding posts 16-16, having heads eXpQSQd at the innerfacesof lthe arms andadapted to contact `each other when, the "arms are bro-ught togethert to close anlectric circuit :through the alarming system, .a'nd connected with the outer ends of the posts `are circuit wires. 18-19 whichpeztend:through a metal tube 20 to a metal housing 2l, wherein they' are connected through ,a battery' 22 with a bell or other electricallyoperated signaling device 23, Whichjwill .be-operated onclosing of4 an electri'cpircuit "through the system to give .an alarmsignifving-that the vehicle is being used'withoutauthority y Removablv' mounted between* the .free ends .lfof the armsfl-lto normally retain the arms andjpost heads -lflfif disengaged,' is

a key wedge 25, having arms\26- 26A extending laterally therefromto engage the ends of the arms 13-13 and nn'lountred vat its outer end by means of a screw eye 27, is l a hook 28, which is through a cut out op in`g29"i\n the post housing 6 and to seat in apertures 31 in the annularfiange 32 iixed on the' steering post 2, so that with the key in position, turning of the steering post in either direction will dapted 'to extend cause the wedge to be withdrawn from be'- tween the arms 13-13, to allow the heads 17-17 to engage each other and close acireuit throught-he alarm. l .I also provide the block 11, at-opposite sides of the key 25, with sockets 3 3, wherein lthe legs 34 of a fork-35 may be inserted to 'bear against the key arms 26-26'- to prevent displacement of the wedge key when the alarm parts are not'in use.

Assuming that the4 parts are so constructed and. mounted on the vehicle, the owner. when leaving the car,"turns the steen ing post so that the guide wheels of the IlO car are turned to one side; he then opens the door 8 of the housin l and removes the fork 35, to release the icy 25and inserts the hook 2S in the apertured flange 31 fixed on the post i2 and closes and locks the casing door 8. l

Should a person attemptto use the vehicle, it is apparent that they would turn the steering post 2, which would cause `the wedge key 25 to be AWithdrawn from be tween the arms 13-13, and the latter would be urged 'together by the spring 15 so that tbe.- post, heads 17-17 would engage eachl other and an electric circuit closed through the battery and signal to warn'the owner of the unauthorized use of his vehicle, and the alarm would continue to sound until the one xvith a key could open the housing door S- and disconnect the circuit.

Vi'heu the alarm is not in use, the Wedg key Q5, is held in )osition' against displace'- ment by jar or jo t by the insertion of the fork lock 3l in the socket 33. It is apparent. that by providing a sheet steel casing for the alarm parts, tampering therewith is prevented and a simple and effective alarm is' provided. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure vice;y said switch comprisingpivotally mounted arms, contact point-s mounted on lsaid arms, a spring bearing againsty said arms to urge said Contact polnts together, a key removably mounted between said arms to normally prevent engagement of the contact point-s, a hook pivotally connected withv v.said key, an annular flange fixed about the steering post having apertures therein vfor recelving-sald hook so that actuatlon of said post will unseat the said key to close a iiir- "cuit through the system. Y

. the battery and signaling device, a keyfor l normally retaining 'said switch open, an annularange fixed on said s teerlng post having apertures therein, a hookgconnected with y said switch key adapted to seat in said apertures, whereby actuation of the post w11l 55 Vunseat said key to close said switch. 3. In a motorl vehicle, 4the combination ,ivitlra steering post, a battery and signaling device, of a switch controlled circuit through the battery and -signaling device; said switch comprising a base member, arms pivotally mounted on said base, a spring for yieldingly urging said arms together, a key removably mounted between said arms to prevent contact of said point/s, ar removable 65 locking member adapted for retaining said key in functional position, a hook`attached to said key and adapted for connecting with said steering post for the purpose set forth.

4. Inv a motor vehicle, the combinationw with a steering post,`an electricallyoperated signaling device and a switch for conltrolling -a circuit through the signaling def vice, of an annular, apertured ngehinclos-/ -ingrl the steering post, a key for normally retaining the switch in open position, and a hook attached to said key andl adapted to seatin said apertured' iange,`for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof aiiix my signature. 80

HIRM A. BEALL.' 

